Modelling the policies of optimal straw use for maximum mitigation of climate change in China from a system perspective

Guobao Song, Jie Song and Shushen Zhang

Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 2016, vol. 55, issue C, 789-810

Abstract: Understanding the competitive uses of straw resources as substitutes for fertilizer nutrients, forage and fossil energy is critical to maximize the mitigation of climate change. Focusing on the mitigation of global warming, we developed an uncertainty model for the optimal use of straw in China based on available studies of life-cycle assessment that have determined the advantages of energy savings and reductions of greenhouse gases (GHGs) of 14 conversion technologies. The current pattern of straw use has saved China 0.75EJ of energy and has reduced GHGs by 270.76Mt CO2e on average annually. Among all competitive uses, the use of straw as forage was most environmental friendly, followed by the uses of straw as alternative sources of nutrients and energy. Simulated scenarios for policies of competing straw uses suggested that joint decision-making among administrative departments was vital to maximize the national mitigation of global warming (i.e. 1.84–2.26EJ of energy saved or reductions of GHGs of 464.89–568.61Mt CO2e annually) by considering all straw uses comprehensively instead of overemphasizing a single use.

Keywords: Climate-change mitigation; Policy decision; Life-cycle assessment; Uncertainty optimization; China (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2016
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (5)

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DOI: 10.1016/j.rser.2015.10.136

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